A school leader’s response to the warning signs he or she observes can ultimately build, or break, the staff culture they envision.

Effective leaders confront warning signs as they come. Whether from a quick staff survey or by observing staff behavior, once aware there is an issue, taking action is key to ensuring the problem doesn’t spread and weaken your staff culture.

There are steps you can take to ensure these conversations are productive:

Talk in person. Emails are too easily misread.

Meet in private and with time. Schedule more time than you think you will need to ensure you have the time and space to have an honest conversation.

Address the issue quickly. It may feel more comfortable to a day or so to prepare what you’ll say, but the quicker the feedback the more likely you’ll be able to address the issue and gain useful feedback in the process.

There is a whole chapter on Staff Culture in the bookLeverage Leadership in which you will find more tips and strategies like these for being intentional as you work to enrich your staff community.